The Cherries can’t afford to drop another point now after conceding in the dying seconds against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, a sucker-punch that Eddie Howe described as a “heartbreaking end” to the game.

But Elphick has played down any suggestions that Bournemouth are feeling the heat.

Watford ground out a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Birmingham on Saturday, a result that took the Hornets to the summit with Bournemouth slipping up.

“It is so tight so let’s see who has the best nerves,” says Abdi, who scored in Watford’s crucial 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest last week.

“If we do our job, we will go up.”

Asked if he was desperate to secure promotion, Abdi told the Watford Observer: Desperate is the wrong word.

“We have a big opportunity, I think we definitely have the quality for this but this year is really tough because all the teams are winning and we have to win every game - you cannot make one mistake.”

Watford have the chance to pull further clear, temporarily at least, when they travel to Brighton in Saturday’s early kick-off.

Bournemouth could find themselves four points behind the Hornets and three behind Boro by the time they welcome Bolton to the Goldsands next Monday night.